'Just devastating': Canada-U.S. marine border remains closed to Victoria tourism ferries
After 17 months of being shut to non-essential travel, Canada has reopened its borders to allow fully vaccinated American tourists to come for a vacation. But don’t expect a flood of American tourists to descend on Vancouver Island right away.
Victoria’s airport isn't one of the nine in Canada allowed to have international flights arrive. And although the border opened Monday, the opening doesn’t include ferries — meaning the Coho and Clipper are left out.
The news was described as disheartening by David Gudgel, the CEO of the Clipper, the ferry that brings people back and forth from Seattle and Victoria.
“Dismayed is one of the things I’m feeling,” said Gudgel on Monday. “Not to provide any sort of pathway forward as to when we might expect an opening is just devastating.”
The idea of allowing planes full of Americans to arrive in Canada at airports like Vancouver’s, but not a boatload of vacationers to Vancouver Island, is unfair says Paul Nursey with Destination Greater Victoria.
“We feel we should all be treated the same as the rest of Canada,” said Nursey, expressing frustration on Monday over the discrepancy.
Also frustrating for the ferry operators and local tourism industry is that Canada Border Services Agency officials aren't able to say why exactly the borders aren’t open to international ferries.
Jackie Tse, a spokesperson with the CBSA, said Monday that the issue of the marine border is being monitored closely, and there could be multiple reasons why it’s not open.
“[We’re] constantly reviewing it and informing our stakeholders in the industry, should those changes come about,” said Tse.
Meanwhile, the Americans have not opened their land border to Canadians yet. The earliest that could happen is Aug. 21.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.